Oh gods, I hadn't noticed until you guys pointed it out, but these are all the same character, just slightly different flavours, aren't they?
And worse, as pointed out, it's the same "trick" they pulled in DOS2.
I really hope there's an option in the final game to run with a completely custom party.
Compared to Dragon Age, Pillars 1 & 2 and the Pathfinder games, this is really bad.
I think the only one I actually like is Astarion, because comparably, he wears his heart on his sleeve, and his "secret" is revealed relatively quickly ( if you hadn't already guessed it from the obvious promotional character art).
Is this done for the same reason it was done in DoS2? To create conflicting goals among co-op players?
Why do you consider those characters being "the same"? They have wildly different origins and goals, their personality aren't the same and it evolves differently for most of them. Sure the current cast of companions is small, but I feel like they are quite distinct and that you could easily only take the "good" ones if it is your thing (Wyll, Gale and Shadowheart to a lesser extent). Hopefully more will be added like Halsin and Minsc.
I think that what really bother people is that every companion has the role of a protagonist, which is needed for origins. Other RPGs companions can have a more subdued presence and temperament since their are just here to complement the player character, who is the main figure of the whole game. Personally I like it since it elevates them more as character than just mere story and gameplay tools for the god PC.
Also I think you are looking at Astarion through rose tinted glasses, he is monster who used his charm to lure victims for his blood thirsty master. He is far from friendly.
